The government will soon open the door for returning residents. Attention is focused on how many residents will choose to return in the first half of the year.
According to the government and the medical community on 18th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare is expected to finalize the additional recruitment plan for residents this week and announce the recruitment through nationwide training hospitals.
Previously, the Korean Resident Training Hospital Association officially proposed additional recruitment to the government based on the results of the demand survey for returning residents. Senior residents (3rd or 4th year depending on the specialty) must start their training by May 31 to take the specialist exam next year. Considering the time required for the recruitment process, the announcement should be made this week.
In the survey conducted by the Resident Training Hospital Association, about 2,500 expressed their intention to return. The survey conducted from the 8th to the 12th had participation from more than 16,000, which is more than the total number of residents who resigned. The association accounted for about one-third of actual voters after excluding duplicate participants, and half of them chose a conditional return. This is approximately 2,500 people. The conditions they set include guaranteeing a return after discharge, recognition of three months (March to May) of training upon returning in May, and re-discussion of the essential medical package.
About 700 to 800 residents stated they would return unconditionally. In a survey submitted by the Korean Medical Association to the government, around 200 expressed an intention to return immediately.
The government plans to provide exceptions to the regulation that currently prohibits residents from returning to the same year and specialty within one year for the additional recruitment in May. They are also accelerating efforts to improve the training environment, one of the residents' demands. A pilot program aims to reduce residents' working hours from 80 hours a week to 72 hours, and continuous working hours from 24 to 30 hours to 24 hours.